The present invention is directed to types of appliqué for garments and, more specifically to appliqué for garments that is comprised of woven fabric that is stretchable in only a single direction, enabling the appliqué to recover to its original shape; and stretchable and recoverable adhesive for applying the appliqué to a garment and for allowing the appliqué to stretch.
Appliqué are fastened to garments and other larger pieces materials to display fanciful letters, designs, or other decor on the materials. One particular application of appliqués in the form of letters, numbers and fanciful designs, is on athletic uniforms. While the invention is described in particular detail to an athletic uniform use, those skilled in this art will recognize the wider applicability of the invention described hereinafter.
Many athletic uniforms are adapted to be worn tightly, and therefore are designed to be extremely stretchable during the athletic activity, but are also recoverable to ensure a snug fit during normal non active use. For example, football jerseys have progressed from a baggy fit to a fit that is relatively form fitting. Other athletic endeavors have experienced a similar transformation in style. Currently, appliqués that are used on stretchable athletic uniforms are constructed of materials that are stiff and generally inflexible. The constant stretching of these generally inflexible appliqués during wear causes stress about the appliqués, as they are unable to stretch and/or recover simultaneously with the stretchable material upon which they are attached. This results in damage to the appliqués over time in the form of cracking and puckering, making the uniforms undesirable for use in many instances. Also, the inability of prior art appliqués to stretch decreases the functionality of the garment to which they are applied. The stretchable characteristic of the appliqué allows the jersey material to be more form fitting, which allows the jersey to reach the potential for which it was designed.
Therefore, a need exists for an appliqué that can be fastened onto a larger piece of stretchable material like a stretchable athletic uniform, that is adapted to withstand the stress associated with constant stretch and recovery of the material onto which it is attached.